Teens prefer 'telling all' to computers

The survey finds that teens confide more in computer tests than on written ones

May 14, 1998
Web posted at: 10:15 a.m. EDT (1415 GMT)

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, North Carolina (CNN) -- Teen-agers are more likely to admit to risky behavior when answering questionnaires in a computer than when filling out a written survey, researchers say.

Teen-agers who counsel their peers on preventing AIDS say they know how bold and fearless some of their classmates can be, as many teen-agers think they're invulnerable.

Researchers say that the results of the computer surveys are also significant for older age groups, since many people are
reluctant to provide information about their private lives.

Recent studies, for instance, have shown that only about 30
percent of women who have had an abortion will say so when
surveyed in a traditional format. Computer-gathered data
could therefore provide a much more accurate picture of certain types of behavior.

Turner told CNN that he hopes the new survey method will
catch on fast, especially among researchers who deal with
society's most personal issues.